The 16th Companion
by Erestor Silvertongue
Summary: Thorin & Company set off on a strictly confidential journey to reclaim Erebor. None but the company and their kin know of their little excursion... Right?
1. Chapter 1: Unexpected Company

The 16th Companion

Disclaimer: I do not own middle-earth or any of the characters besides the mysterious elven one, and I probably never will. **Sob sob.**

This is my first fanfiction, and English is not my first language, so try not to flame without much cause: Yes, I know that the canon characters are OOC, yadayadayada, but _still_. I would appreciate constructive criticism, though.

Enjoy and review!

Chapter 1: Unwanted Company

Bilbo Baggins of Bag End was feeling rather disgruntled. More than 'rather disgruntled', in fact. 'Absolutely furious' might've been more accurate. Bilbo couldn't remember being angrier in his life. Well, except for the time when the old hag Lobelia snitched his mother's gilded jewelry box. And when she … No. Enough. This was not the time to be indignant about greedy, rude, insulting, &%£*$! Sackville Bagginses, no matter how furious they made him. The fact remained that an entire _troop_ of unknown, uninvited, unwanted dwarves had invaded his poor hole, defiled his furniture and were now trying to make him become a burglar in their suicidal little adventure.

But all of Bilbo's misgivings made way for curiosity at the mention of a quest and at the unrolling of an old map… And returned, full force, at _yet another_ knock at the door.

"How many of you _are_ there?!", he demanded crossly.

But the dwarves did not seem too sure either: They were frozen, shooting wary glances at the door and muttering amongst themselves.

"I never get any visitors at _this_ time: If it isn't one of you, I have no idea who it is," Bilbo clarified.

Gandalf, unfrozen now, directed the full force of his stare to Thorin. "Who did you tell of this quest, beyond your kin?"

"No one."

Gandalf got to his feet, looming over Thorin and asked again, more forcefully, "_Who did you tell?!" _

"No one, I swear!"

"Just open the bloody door and see who it is!" Exclaimed Ori, the increasingly insistent rapping grating on his nerves… and his wits, evidently. "We can take them!" triggering a burst of forlorn headshaking, exasperated sighs and mutters of "naïve", "headstrong" and "idiot".

"Well, we _can_," he protested, seeking to stem this tirade. "What do you think's there?! Orcs? _Elves?!" _

Thorin stood up, in full King Under The Mountain mode. "Yes. _**Yes**_," he growled. "We are not going to a picnic with sunshine and berries and fluffy pink bunnies: We are out to reclaim Erebor, to face the dragon Smaug, and we will encounter who knows _what_ on the way. It is no time to jest, and no time to be careless, to be unassuming, to be the naïve fool you were just now, Ori. An orc or an elf might be exactly what's knocking on our _burglar's_ door. Just shut up, all of you, and whatever's hammering outside might just give up and go away."

Bilbo was too busy being awed to object that leaving someone waiting outside a door was extremely poor manners… It was just as well; such a suggestion would've earned him a round of withering glares and mutterings much more condescending that what Ori had received.

After a few moments of (relative) silence, the rapping stopped.

"You know, if it's really elves out there, they would've known we were here already," Balin remarked.

"I never thought I'd agree with a _Naugrim_," a silky voice purred, reverberating with a dangerous, icy cold undertone that gave even the great Thorin Oakenshield shivers along his spine, "But that one's right."

_Naugrim: A not very nice Sindarin term for dwarves: Means stunted ones. (I think.) _

Thanks for reading and review!


	2. Chapter 2: Friend or Foe?

The 16th Companion

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this fanfiction besides Valadhriel and the plotline.

I'm really really really sorry about the wait, but here's the second chapter. Thanks to everyone who followed and favourited!

**Chapter 2: Friend or Foe? **

For a couple of heart-stopping moments, every single soul in the room stood petrified: Horrified, disbelieving, rooted to the ground. The oh-so-smooth, oh-so-silky voice trailed icy fingers of dread down the party's backs.

Thorin was the first to unfreeze."Who are you, and what do you want from us?! Show yourself!" he barked, leaping to his feet and drawing a dagger from its hidden sheath, "And how did you get in here without any of us noticing?!"

The voice laughed, a cold, mirthless laugh that only chilled the company more. "Oh, there is no need for _that_, Thorin Oakenshield. It was a simple enough task to enter unnoticed even after you so _courteously_ attempted to fool me into thinking nobody was home," the voice drawled, dripping with derision.

A ripple of movement from the corner of the room drew everyone's attention, and fourteen pairs of hands fumbled clumsily for concealed weapons. A lithe figure melted out of the shadows and slipped into the room, one slender hand reaching back to draw back a hood. "and I am Valadhriel Elradiriel, and I wish only to join your… _quest_."

Valadhriel was beautiful, perhaps, in a dangerous way, with sharp features, fierce emerald eyes and sharply contrasting raven hair and chalky skin, if you looked past the cruel smirk twisting her lips. She radiated power, an air of cold, aristocratic menace and glowed with the silvery light that all her kin possessed.

Stunned silence reigned in the room for several heartbeats, in which Valadhriel smirked, the dwarves spluttered, Bilbo gaped and Gandalf put on his best thinking/constipated face, until it was shattered by thirteen outraged voices, all complaining about 'betraying, backstabbing elves, contemplating 'killing the scum where it stands' and the ludicrosity of one joining their 'noble expedition', as Dwalin very eloquently put it. Gandalf ceased his thinking/constipation and peered at Valadhriel some more.

Gloin scowled. "And anyway, why're you, a lying, two-faced trai- Er, elf, even interested in this venture?"

Valadhriel scowled right back. "Believe me, if I had to choose between Sauron and you, Sauron would win, no contest. But my lord wishes it, and what my lord commands, I do."

There commenced another energetic round of spluttering.

Gandalf took advantage of the pause and pulled himself to his feet, still staring at the elf. "Sauron, you say. Hmmm. Tell me, who is this _lord_ of whom you speak? And you wouldn't by any chance be Erestor or, um, Maedhros's kin?"

Valadhriel glared, chin coming up and eyes blazing. "Mithrandir. My people think you wise, but you are but a fool to think my lord, who is none of your business, to be the Enemy. Elbereth, I am an _elf._"

"Exactly," Nori muttered, and the now thoroughly exasperated Valadhriel scowled and gave him her Death Glare™. Nori whimpered and shrank back into his seat. Valadhriel smirked, huffed self-righteously and after much belligerent glowering continued: "Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, no I am not, unfortunately, related to Lord Erestor or Maedhros the Tall."

Gandalf hmmmed doubtfully. "If you say so. Why is your _lord_ interested in this, then?"

Valadhriel smiled thinly. "For the same reason why you are, of course. The riches of Smaug's hoard are legendary, and there are several items from his treasure trove my lord desires."

Thorin narrowed his eyes. "What items?"

Valadhriel sighed. "Not the Arkenstone, I assure you. Now before you start muttering about my trustworthiness, _will you let me join, or will I have to follow you and kill you in your sleep?_"

"Friendly."

Valadhriel sighed. "I know. Now get to the point."

Thorin pretended to consider. "Hmm, let me think… _No._"

"Why not? I'm an elf, not an orc."

"Exactly."

The wall mysteriously developed a gravitational field to the back of Valadhriel head.

"And you're a dwarf, but you need me."

Thorin folded his arms. "No we don't."

"Oh really? You need someone who can read the map. Who can get you through Mirkwood. Who has connections everywhere that matters. Who has elven sight, hearing and speed. Who can actually fight."

Valadhriel seemed to have a talent for making dwarves splutter.

Gandalf sighed, and admitted "She's right."

Valadhriel smirked. "Of course I am."

I shall attempt to update more frequently, but that's it for now.


	3. Chapter 3: Reluctant Ally

The 16th Companion

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this fanfiction besides Valadhriel and the plotline.

Like I said, I'm going to (try to) update more often now. Whatever, enough said, enjoy this chapter. Thanks to BeanieBaby96, Beppa, LyricalRose, Sangnovaline, XxTheDarknessOfMySoulxX and for following and favouriting. Have a cookie each.

**Chapter 3: A Reluctant Ally **

Bilbo Baggins woke to warm sunshine on his face, a soft feather pillow and his lovely duvet, and sank back into his covers with a contented sigh. He twirled a piece of loose thread idly between his fingers, wondering what to have for breakfast… That is, if his pantry hadn't been stripped barer than the Northern Wastes by the rampaging horde of ravenous dwarves last night… _Rampaging horde of ravenous dwarves! _Bilbo's eyes flew open, the moment of lazy midmorning contentment abruptly shattered. He all but shot out of his bed, feet hammering down the hall, mind already whirling with terrible premonition about the disaster zone previously known as his hole; Oh, how he hoped beyond hope that whatever god watched over frantic hobbits had ensured that at least his mother's lace doily had survived.

But as Bilbo emerged from the hallway, panicking and eyes wild, there were no dwarves to be seen. His mother's doilies – Praise the lord – were fully intact, along with the rest of his treasured possessions. Instead of the raucous laughter or thunderous snoring he'd expected to hear, the room was filled with birdsong. The hobbit stopped short, sagging in relief. Last night's events must've been all a dream.

But once the crippling relief coursing through him at the absence of any dwarves and the survival of his silverware had abated slightly, Bilbo, much to his chagrin, began to feel some twinges of regret. Shaking off the strange feeling, the hobbit shuddered and fumbled blindly for a distraction… Breakfast! Yes, breakfast. Already salivating at the prospect of bacon and eggs, Bilbo shook himself and stumped off to his pantry.

To discover that his larder was full of… Absolutely nothing.

Gaping in shocked horror, the hobbit stumbled. So last night hadn't been a dream after all! He wondered if they still needed a burglar, his Baggins side and Took side warring in his head.

Correction. His pantry was _almost_ empty. There was a reasonable amount of elf in it.

Said elf was currently crouched on the floor, frowning into his shelves and at the mess of squashed food on the ground disapprovingly and munching on a piece of bread in strange leaf wrapping. At Bilbo's clumsy entry, she turned and eyed him, brushing crumbs delicately from her mouth.

"Good morning, Mister Baggins, it's good to see you up, and it was about time too," Valadhriel drawled, standing smoothly, silver armor gleaming and dark robes swirling. The elf, Bilbo concluded, must practice intimidation in front of the mirror for hours every day.

She stared down at him coolly, "I think you might need this," and drew a stack of slightly crumpled parchment from her robes, thrusting it into Bilbo's surprised hands.

It was the contract that the dwarves had drawn up… And a slip of paper instructing him to meet the dwarves at 11 a.m. sharp. _11 a.m. sharp. _

Valadhriel, echoing his own thoughts, intoned drily "And that leaves you ten minutes to get there."

Bilbo wailed in dismay. "I'll _never_ make it!"

She swung her bow and quiver onto her back and smirked. "Unless I go catch them for you."

Bilbo glared at the ground, cursing her arrogance.

Valadhriel cleared her throat. "Would you like that?" she prompted.

The hobbit started. "Yes, I would. And Valadhriel? Thank you."

The elf turned slightly, a corner of her mouth quirking up ever so slightly; A poor excuse for a smile, but the first one (mostly) free of the disdain, hauteur and cool superiority that laced her every word… And then she was gone, leaving Bilbo Baggins of Bag End to scramble for his pack.

Valadhriel Elradiriel was out of the halfling's hole in a heartbeat and mounted upon Tálaroch and galloping furiously along the dirt path in but another, sending gaping halflings scrambling this way and that.

Perhaps it was a little discourteous draw her knife to clear a path through a crowded marketplace, but who cared. The halflings' - _was it hobbits? The burglar called himself one – _expressions were very amusing indeed, and she didn't actually hurt any of them. She was not to be held accountable for trauma.

Reaching the edge of a leafy glade, Valadhriel took to the trees, barely pausing to greet them, Tálaroch cantering just ahead until she spied the dwarven scum a short way ahead, just getting onto their ponies and grumbling about hobbits and elves - and then abruptly whipping their heads around to follow Tálaroch as he galloped past them.

She smiled in predatory anticipation, and, silent as a ghost, gave a mighty leap and dropped perfectly onto Tálaroch as he screeched to an unapologetic stop just an arm-length in front of Thorin's (considerably alarmed) pony, causing a massive pileup of irate dwarves and panicked ponies.

Thorin's face reddened, his mouth opening into a furious circle, chest puffing up in righteous anger. She cocked her head, studying him. He might've been just a little impressive had his mouth not been full of Dwalin's boot.

Valadhriel smiled angelically, and intoned: "My apologies for your fall, Thorin Oakenshield, but I had not thought to compensate for the clumsiness of dwarves."

The dwarves all burst into all manner of vulgar curses, and Valadhriel had to raise her voice to add "And here is my contract. Master Baggins is coming, and asked me to come here to catch you."

She had the foresight to toss it directly to Gandalf, over the grasping hands (not occupied with exchanging betting gold) that reached to tear the contract to shreds.

Gandalf flipped through the contract. "This seems to be in order," and, ignoring the uneasy glances from the dwarves and the evil glower from Thorin, smiled at Valadhriel. "Welcome to our Company."

"Hooray." Valadhriel replied flatly, internally wailing at how far she had fallen.

**AN: **

**Sorry about the sea of mistakes; I forgot the exact details of Bilbo's contract. :D Oh, and this is my longest chapter yet! (Which isn't saying much, mind you, but whatever.) **

**Thanks for reading! Review, and you get a dwarf/elf/hobbit/ranger of your choice. **

_**TBC… **_


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